On Tour With The Top Chef Stars!

Late last week, when I heard that Top Chef superstar Fabio Viviani would be in the neighborhood doing a cooking demonstration for something called Top Chef: The Tour, I knew I had to find a way to see it. The event was booked up, but thanks to the good people at Bravo, they found a …

SEEK THIS OUT: The Howie Sandwich @ Artisan Cheese Gallery

The other day, my friend Howie announced that the Artisan Cheese Gallery would be serving his self-created sandwich vision, simply titled “The Howie.” I had no idea what the Artisan Cheese Gallery was, but after some thorough investigation (ie. reading more than the first line of his email), I discovered that it was a neat …

THE BASIL CHRONICLES: Chapter 1 — 'Allo Basil!

This past winter, I attempted to grow a lush bounty of parsley, only to have it all die off within three months, the victim of my poor farmer skillz (or perhaps Ikea’s worthless seeds). We’ll never know what exactly went wrong in that lil parsley cup, but I must admit — I was a little scarred …

SATURDAY IN LOS ANGELES: Hiking, Food, and Ellen Pompeo

I don’t know how it was for the rest of the country, but the weather in LA this past weekend was fantastic, and what better way to enjoy the sunshine than by stepping out and taking a hike? Inspired by a recent post in LAist about hidden staircases in Hollywood, I recruited two fellow hoofers …

ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Drunken Late Night Squid Edition

Last weekend I returned from a rousing night out with my friends quite drunk and quite hungry, and in such situations, it’s not uncommon for me to summon a sober party and request transport to the nearest late night eatery, particularly if it means venturing into Koreatown for some late night galbi, bulgogi, tofu, or …

ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Mexican Food Edition

With swine flu making travel to Mexico ¡muy off limits!, my friends and I thought we’d bring some South of the Border action to Hollywood last night by whipping up a minor Mexican feast at mi casa. It all started when my friend Bets revealed that she had a bunch of avocados that needed to …

EATING IN LA: Seventeen Courses at Jitlada

Back in October of last year, I detailed a particularly enjoyable yet sweaty trip to Jitlada Thai Cuisine, a restaurant that is widely regarded as one of the best Thai eateries in Los Angeles. This is thanks in part to its unique Southern Thai menu whose famously delicious (and notoriously spicy) offerings have been well …

ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Indian Pulled Pork Sandwiches Edition

It was 3:30 in the afternoon. I received a message from my friend Bets, who had sent me a recipe for Indian pulled pork sandwiches. “Dude, make this. the picture alone sells me on it,” she wrote. I glanced at the recipe: slow cooked pork? Indian spices? An excuse to use my dutch oven? I …